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Pope Benedict on Immigration

Yesterday, the pope released a statement on immigration for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, coming up in January 2011. Titled “One Human Family,” Benedict addresses the dignity of all immigrants while acknowledging nations’ rights to regulate their flow:

“The World Day of Migrants and Refugees offers the whole Church an opportunity to reflect on a theme linked to the growing phenomenon of migration, to pray that hearts may open to Christian welcome and to the effort to increase in the world justice and charity, pillars on which to build an authentic and lasting peace,” wrote the Pontiff in his opening remarks on Oct. 26.

“All,” he continued, “belong to one family, migrants and the local populations that welcome them, and all have the same right to enjoy the goods of the earth whose destination is universal, as the social doctrine of the Church teaches. It is here that solidarity and sharing are founded.”

However, the Pope added, “States have the right to regulate migration flows and to defend their own frontiers, always guaranteeing the respect due to the dignity of each and every human person. Immigrants, moreover, have the duty to integrate into the host country, respecting its laws and its national identity.”

Margaret Cabaniss is the former managing editor of Crisis Magazine. She joined Crisis in 2002 after graduating from the University of the South with a degree in English Literature and currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland. She now blogs at SlowMama.com.

It seems to me that all Benedict is doing here is reiterating Church teaching: the state has the right to regulate its borders, but above all the dignity of the human person must be respected.

Mark

“Immigrants, moreover, have the duty to integrate into the host country, respecting its laws and its national identity.

JZmirak

…but the current one is also prudent and wise. He balances his memory of the authentic horrors visited upon “stateless” populations and refugees by his own native land, against the FUTURE horrors that may emerge from the uncontrolled movements of peoples… such as Muslims occupying Europe. These people, given the chance, will make the Vandals seem like a team of museum conservators newly arrived from the Cloisters.

TonyC

This will really set the “social justice” crowd on fire! Can’t wait to see how this gets twisted and rephrased to fit their agenda. It will be difficult but I trust they will.

Micha Elyi

“Immigrants, moreover, have the duty to integrate into the host country, respecting its laws and its national identity.